Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-25
ROUSTERS ON A STRIKE.
The Sidney's Deck Hands Come
Ashore.
They Cease work and Leave the Boat
at this Gity---UnsuceessfulA Attempt
to Held the Boat for Back Pay.

to Hold the Boat for Back Pay.
A strike occurred at the Diamond 10
landing at o'clock yesterday afternoon
while the Sidney of that line,
bound from St. Louis to St. Paul was in
port. Eighteen of the steamers rousta-
bouts refused to work and the Waterman
went back and tried to get them out
when they drew razors from their boots
and thus armed presented wsr>like
front The Waterman retreated, and the
second mate went back with club and
routed the worthless Africans out but
hey refused to wOrk-they had organ
Ized for strike and left the boat. The
police were telephoned for and vainly en-
deavored to send the strikers back to the
boat, tiually driving them over the bridge
to Davenport. The boat was badly IN
need of the hands-they had been en-
gagged at st Louis for the round trip and
as they quit the boat here, Capt. Davis
withheld their pay. The boat went
across TO Davenport and the darkieS,
after being run over the bridges. went
down to the laudiug on the Iowa side, and
some of them going aboard the boat res
newed their demand for their pay, but
the mate drove them off Officer Hass
of the Davenport police. was there, and
did not propose to have the men landed.
rs they had been fired out of Rock Island
as paupers, so he drove the five who
were still there aboard the boat Just as
she was about to pull out n0twithstand-
Ing the circumstances of the boats Off
GERS.
The remainder OF the gang had in the
meantime gone to Justice Kramer IN Dav-
export and applied for warrant TO hold
the boat till their wages were paid and
he, considering that he had no iurisdic-
tibH III tllC ulhiIttY uiiCtth W
United States Commissioner White, to
whom they went. 1t being impossible 10
get immediate satisfaction there without
the presence of the captain of the boat,
they went to County Attorney Ficke and
were sent to Justice Koch, who made out
warrant to seize the boat, and gave it
to Constable Joers to serve. Mr.. Joers
went to the leyee TO seize the boat and
found that it had departed and was be
yOnd his reach.
The darkies recrossed the river to Rock
Island last night, and were still in the city
this morning. They will stay about here
until another steamer comes down, when
they will attempt to get passage to st.
Louis. The darkies claim that they did
not sign articles for the trip. that they
were worked day and night, cuiTed, beat
en- and abused, and could stand it no
longer, SO they tried to get little rest
and were still more abused for it, In the
language of one of them, speaking
for all: I'VE amt made of iron
They expect US to work all of the time,
and then We don't work hard enough to
suit them
The steamboat men say that the men
shirked their work and would hide away
half the time if the mates would allow it
that if they were only spoken to and or
dered out they would go right off and dc
it again, and that touch with stick
was the only eifectual way of keeping
them at work; that they signed articles
for the trip and knew just what work
they would have to do; that as the ne
groes have broken their contract and lef
the steamboat shorthanded, they are un'
der no obligations either legally or NOR.
ally to pay them
Capt, Davis said the crew was tough
crowd, that the darkies had planned tC
desert the boat at Cairo. but came on t,
Rock Island, hoping to make better con
ueCtiOns with southbound boat and @
back to st. Louis, after leaving the Sid
ney. They robbed all the deck passenger
before leaving the bOat-were a gang o
idle, useless thieves and cut throats
The marine laws enacted by the United
States under which officers and men ar,
held responsible, provide that decE
hand must sign articles of agreemen
upon shipping that he will work Tor tn,
trip for stipulated amount. On tn
side of the deck hand it provides that il
case of discharge while on a trip tn
steamboat must pay the passage of tn
deck hand to the shipping point. Thu
other and the steamboat men had ocean
of trouble. They would ship what hand
they wanted and when they had gont
about half way to their destination the,
would strike for higher wages. Tn
steamboat would have to pay big ris
or else discharge them and be left short
handed, beside having to furnish trans
pDrtation home, which made them com
pletely at the mercy of the deck hands
The steamboatmen FASTENED to have tn
laws amended and secured the passage o
the clause requiring tine signing of tn
the articles of agreement to protect thei
interests.
AutunnaI Festivities